Switching to Pure Storage for a Greener, More Efficient Cloud
BT Promotes Sustainable IT by Embracing Pure Storage Technologies
UK telecom giant BT isn't shy about the heavy energy consumption of its dated IT infrastructure. The company is determined to change that by enhancing the efficiency of its cloud platform, with Pure Storage playing a key role in achieving this transformation.
We sat down with Clare Schramm, the cloud engineering director at BT, during Pure Accelerate 2024, Las Vegas. Schramm is in charge of managing a collection of private and public cloud platforms that power the systems BT needs to operate and trade on both fixed and mobile networks.
Pure Storage's technology provides essential support for BT, with Schramm referring to the company as a "fundamental storage provider" for its network cloud platform, which hosts a substantial portion of BT's network and data traffic.
Energy consumption was a critical factor in BT's decision to partner with Pure Storage. "We have a diverse IT workload, numerous legacy vendors, and a multitude of heavy-duty storage appliances that consume a large amount of energy," explains Schramm. "Many of these vintage storage appliances are simply power monsters."
Tackling Legacy Sprawl with Pure Storage
BT's IT cloud setup is somewhat pieced together with various legacy systems. "You name it; we've got it," Schramm humorously says, explaining the spark that led BT towards Pure Storage. After all, such chaotic, sprawling systems can impose a considerable strain on sustainability objectives.
"We observed that, with network cloud, the energy usage was extremely low from a storage perspective," Schramm explains.
A Shift to a Cleaner and More Efficient Future
Energy is of utmost importance to BT as the company takes immense pride in its data center energy reduction program. According to Schramm, "Energy is vital to us... We have made significant strides in reducing our energy consumption thanks, in part, to the space provided by Pure."
So far, BT has swapped out 14 legacy arrays and has plans to remove another five this year. Last year alone, the firm managed to reduce its energy consumption by 10.91 gWh. In just the first few months of this year, the company has already saved 1.6 gWh and is targeting a total saving of 6.5 gWh.
"Our benchmarking indicates that a legacy array consumes seven kWh of power, while the equivalent Pure Storage array draws just 400 wH," Schramm points out, emphasizing the substantial difference in energy efficiency. Pure Storage is nearly 18 times more efficient than BT's legacy storage, creating space for the company to expand its usage while drastically cutting its energy consumption.
Challenges and Future Plans
The transition to Pure Storage hasn't been entirely without hurdles. Schramm admits that there were some initial delays in acclimating BT's staff to the new systems during the implementation process. However, she stresses that these issues were minor compared to the broader project.
"We've always felt that we could overcome any challenges that arose," she says, adding that Pure Storage offered substantial support throughout the transition.
As BT proceeds to phase out legacy technology and venture into future technologies like AI, Schramm asserts that Pure Storage will continue to be an integral part of the firm's plans. "Our aim is to completely revamp our IT cloud and go all-in on open source; Pure Storage will undoubtedly play a significant role in our future as we adapt," she concludes.
Additional Insights:
- Pure Storage's partnership with SK hynix aims to deliver energy-efficient storage solutions for hyperscale data centers. This collaboration involves key benefits such as lower energy consumption, scalability, improved performance, and reliability, and a more sustainable business model.
- Offerings such as Pure Storage's can assist telecom firms like BT by performing assessments of their legacy infrastructure, tailoring storage solutions, phased upgrades, and providing educational resources and support.
Cybersecurity is crucial for BT as they transition their IT cloud infrastructure, given the sensitive network and data they handle. Pure Storage's technology not only serves as a fundamental storage provider but also contributes to the company's data-and-cloud-computing efficiency, thus aligning with BT's sustainability objectives and cybersecurity needs.
With Pure Storage's help, BT aims to revamp its IT cloud using open-source technologies and adopt future technologies like AI. This evolution, combined with Pure Storage's role in delivering energy-efficient storage solutions through its partnership with SK hynix, will further reinforce BT's commitment to a greener and more efficient technological infrastructure.
